Will a change of format result in a change of fortunes for Rory McIlroy, who desperately needs to find some momentum with three more Majors coming up in rapid succession?
McIlroy’s lack-lustre efforts at Augusta and Hilton Head mean he has still managed just one top twenty finish in eight PGA Tour outings this year.
But this week he pairs up with former Ryder Cup partners and close pal Shane Lowry in the Tour’s only team event, the two-man Zurich Classic.
The 80 duos teeing it up will play fourballs on days one and three, and foursomes in the other two rounds - and McIlroy may well benefit from having a friendly arm around his shoulder if those iron shots continue to land wide of the target.
McIlroy and Lowry have been installed as 7-1 second favourites by most bookies, behind the 2022 Zurich winners - the joined-at-the-hip partnership of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schaffele. They head the market at a best-priced 4-1.
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But the Irish pair’s lofty position is down to reputation rather than known form, while Cantlay and Schauffele could only manage fourth place as defending champions last year. So there should be some value further down the betting.
How to bet on golf
Here are five easy steps for beginners.
1. Choose Your Favourite Sportsbook – there are plenty to choose from and most have their own app or mobile site.
2. Make a Deposit – each sportsbook will walk you through how to connect your bank account to their system including providing a list of all the safeguards they have set up to ensure the safety of your transactions.
3. Claim Your Bonuses – most sportsbooks offers bonuses to first time bettors in the form of free bets.
4. Place Your Bet – now it’s time to navigate through your sportsbook’s odds where they will offer a variety of options including outright winners, or top finishing positions, such as top 10 or 20, or even to make the cut. For the event this week each way odds are generally paid on the top eight players.
5. Collect Your Winnings – If you're successful you will be able to withdraw your winnings once the bet is complete. Some bookmakers offer cashout options on certain bets as well, which is worth keeping an eye on.
Where to find the best odds for the golf?
Lots of bookmakers have different options for betting on the golf this week, including competitive odds and different place markets.
We like the markets on bet365, including the price boosts on offer pre-event.
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Zurich Classic betting tips
The other duo near the top of the market, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris, is a new combination that oozes firepower.
They both make tons of birdies, and they could easily shoot the lights out in the fourballs. But whether they will gel in the foursomes is open to question - and odds of 8-1 are not long enough to make it worth finding out.
The Hojgaard twins, Nicolai and Rasmus, played together plenty of times as amateurs, and will know how to play to each other’s strengths. They could serve notice of a Ryder Cup future together with a bold showing at 20-1.
But the team that makes most appeal is the Canadian twosome of Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin.
They were runners-up when they made their debut in this event a year ago, and both have enjoyed a fair bit of success as individuals in the run-up to this renewal. So a widely-available 25-1 quote looks appealing.
With the President’s Cup shoot-out against the USA in Montreal coming up in September, they will be keen to show Internationals captain Mike Weir they can repeat that strong performance. That added motivation is a big bonus.
Another duo on 25-1, Tom Hoge and Maverick McNealy, also look a really good fit. Both have shown good form in the build-up, and McNealy’s putting brilliance will be worth a few strokes in this format.
Matt Fitzpagtrick is a player I admire, but I cannot for the life of me understand why he and younger brother Alex are a miserly 28-1 this week.
They looked like total strangers in the foursomes when they teamed up here a year ago, shooting rounds of 72 and 74 that condemned them to a share of 19th place.
OK, Alex has matured a lot as a professional in the intervening 12 months. But the Fitzpatricks are roughly half the odds of 2023 winners Nick Hardy and Davis Riley, who can be backed at 55-1.
Hardy and Riley are not in the greatest form as individuals - but that also applied a year ago. They made a nonsense of the form book, and also finished ELEVEN shots ahead of Matt and Alex.
Winning back-to-back here is tough, but the defending champions are worth an each way interest. And the same thing applies to the South African pairing of Ryan Fox and Garrick Higgo - big-hitters who could make odds of 66-1 look generous.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling website
